In the past, as disclosed in JP10-188077A, various banknote handling apparatuses, each designed for performing the depositing process and/or dispensing process for the banknotes, have been known. In the conventional banknote handling apparatus as disclosed in JP10-188077A, a plurality of storages (or storage units), each adapted for storing therein the banknotes, for each denomination thereof, are provided to a lower portion of a casing, while an escrow unit adapted for escrowing or temporarily storing therein the banknotes is provided above the respective storages in the casing. Additionally, a transport unit adapted for transporting the banknotes inserted in the casing from an inlet is provided above the escrow unit in the casing. Further, a bundling unit for bundling each batch of the banknotes accumulated in a stacked condition is provided above the transport unit.
In the banknote handling apparatus disclosed in JP10-188077A, the banknotes inserted in the casing from the inlet are first transported into the casing by the transport unit, while being recognized about the denomination or the like thereof by a recognition unit provided along the transport unit. Then, the banknotes are escrowed (or temporarily stored) in the escrow unit. Once the depositing process for the banknotes is confirmed, the banknotes escrowed in the escrow unit will be stored in the respective storages, for each denomination of the banknotes. Meanwhile, upon dispensing the banknotes stored in the respective storages, as bundled banknotes, the banknotes are first transported to the bundling unit from the respective storages, then a bundling process for forming each batch of the banknotes is performed, and finally the bundled banknotes are dispensed from a bundled-banknote outlet.